Improvement in suspending telegraph-wires



H. B. GOODYEAR. SUSPENDING TELBGRAPH WIRES.

No. 33,700. Patented Nov. l2, 1861.

UNITED STATES vPATENT OFFICE.

HENRY B. GOODYEAR, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN' SUSPENDING TELEGRAPH-WIRES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 33,7Q0, lated November l2, 1861.

Anew and useful Improvements in or Methods ot' Hanging or Suspendin g Electric Telegra ph- VVires 5 and l hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ot' the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in'which-n Figure l is a front elevation, and Fig. 2 a side and sectionalelevation, of a telegraph-wire limi g or suspended accordingto the principle of my invention.

Among the different media employed for the transmission of thev electric iinid to operate upon, a mechanism producing audible o'r visible signs or signals to impart intelligence from one given point te another, copper wire has been found to be the best, for not only is it an excellent conductor of electricity`,' but is more reliable as well as durable, since it isnotliable to rust or corrode by exposure to the air, rain, and the variations of temperature. Its ductility moreover allows of its being drawn into fine wire whereby great lightness is attained, and affords the means of its being completely insulated by an india-rubber or gutta-percha coating at comparatively small expense, and without increasing the bulk or weight of the wire'so as to render it liable to being broken by its own weight orthe ice that usually gathers around it during the winter. In spite of its great advantages over iron wire it could not heretofore be used, principally on account of certain properties of copper when drawn into wire which rendered its application as a suspended wire im practicable. Copper wire when suspended between two xed points will,by virtue ot' its extreme ductility and when acted upon by its own weight, sag between its points ot' suspension-that is, gradually elongate until it reaches an intermediate point of rest. This effect ot sagging is of course in a direct ratio with the distance between the points of supporti'. e., the greater the distance between the poles the greater will be the tendency of the wire to sa@t To remedy, therefore, this de'- fect it would be necessary considerably to increase the number of poles, which, besides being exceedingly expensive, is often entirely impracticable.

The object of my invention therefore consists in anew inode of suspending copperwire, whether insulated or not, that, while necessitati n g no more poles than is necessary to suspendan ordinaryiron wire, will keep the copper wire from sagging or elongating between its principal points of suspensioni. e., between the poles. I accomplish this by iirst erecting poles at such distances from each other as is.

suitable or necessary to suspenda strong iron wire. I then suspend upon such wire as a cable or bridge, and by means of hoolcsor other equivalent devices, a copper wire, said hooks bei-ng placed or hung at such distances from each other as will prevent the copper wire from sagging.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I shall now proceed Vto describe its construction and modus operandi by referring to the accompanying drawings, in whichvP are the poles; I, the bridgewire; C, the copper wire, and H the'hooks.

The poles are erected in the usual manner by firmly embedding their bases in the soil. Wooden or iron brackets are nailed, bolted, or otherwise secured to ornear the top of the pole. To or upon these brackets is secured or hung an iron wire to act as herein stated as a suspender or bridge or cable for the copper wire. Small hooks which may be simply made of iron wire arethen hung upon the iron wire and made fast thereto by compressing the upper bend or by firmly compressing the upper bend against the wire, the lower bend after receiving the copper wire being also compressed or closed so as to form an eyein which the copper vwire is thus coniined.

These being the outlines. of my invention, I would here observe that it'is susceptible of many modifications that are or may be suggested by economy or convenience. Thus, instead of brackets against which the iron wire is suspended, a common hook or a wooden or iron pin maybe used; or, again, theiron wire may be secured to the pole directly. The sus` pending-hooks, on the other hand, need not be prepared or made expressly for the suspending of the copper wire. The latter may be suspended upon the bridge-wire by a piece of thin iron wire, one end of which may be wrapped around the iron wire as a means ot' attachmen t, while the other may be wrapped around'the copper wire to hold it in suspension. The iron wire, acting only as a support, need not be continuous. It may be peced or used in pieceslon g enough to reach from one pole to another.

The poles, 'of course, require `no insulators, and it the copper wire be entirely insulated-'- thatis, have a protecting gutta-percha or indiarubber covering-no other means forinsulatin g the wires will be necessary; butif unprotected copper be used care must be taken toinsulate it by means of suitable media from the hooks or wires of attachment. A cheap and efcient plan to insulate it consists in the use of a little indiarubber sleeve or india-rubber piece lapped around and over the surface of that part of the wire which is clasped by the hook or wire or otherwise comes in contact with a conductor of electricity.' Y

Having thusv described my improvements 'and the manner in which the same are or may be carried in toef'ect, I shall state my claim as follows:

A The method herein described of suspending telegraph-wire of insufficient strength to support itself on poles set at usual distances apart, the same consisting in the use of an auxiliary iron wire or suspension cable, and hanging the said telegraph-wire upon it in the manner and for the purposes set forth herein.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification before two subscribing witnesses.

H. B. GOODYEAR.

Witnesses:

WILSON H. CLARK, MILTON J. STEWART. 

